City okays funds for tourism projects

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen met in regular session last Tuesday with a full agenda to discuss.

Mark C. White addressed the board on behalf of the Destination Donley County tourism council. He requested funds from the Motel Bed Tax to promote maize days and costume contest on October 30, a fall festival on November 20, and a nativity scene in December. The board approved $1,000 to help advertise these activities.

Anita Aaron of the Associated Ambulance Authority addressed the board concerning a bill for services rendered to a volunteer fireman. No action was taken.

Health insurance bids were opened, but no action was taken pending the aldermen’s review of all proposals.

Tarrel Dyer spoke to the board on behalf of Centramedia and discussed the possibility of leasing space on the city’s radio tower to deliver high-speed Internet services. He will bring a detailed proposal to the next meeting.

The city’s contract with the Donley County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services was discussed. Approval for the contract was given when aldermen approved the 2004-2005 municipal budget. Sheriff Butch Blackburn said his department had 51 burglaries for the year-to-date and 42 of those have been solved. There have been 23 aggravated assaults and sexual assaults, all of which have been solved.

Aldermen considered audit proposals from Doshier, Pickens, & Francis PC and from Gordon Maddox. The board voted to hire Doshier, Pickens, & Francis to conduct the audit of the city and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation for 2003-2004.

The board discussed paying for the city administrator’s dues in professional and civic organizations, an issue that had come up at a previous meeting.

Alderman Janice Knorpp said the matter was a moot point since paying such dues was spelled out in the administrator’s contract. Other aldermen seemed satisfied with her position, but Alderman Tommy Hill was not. He said he had never seen the administrator’s contract. Other board members insisted that the entire board had reviewed the contract prior to hiring City Administrator Sean Pate and noted that it was a benefit to the city for Pate to belong to professional organizations, which offer meetings, trainings, and information.

Hill still had questions.

“What would the taxpayers think of this?” Hill asked regarding the professional dues.

“Do they want someone who’s incompetent?” Pate responded.

Hill said the city had bills it wasn’t paying and vehicles it wasn’t repairing but was paying for Pate’s dues. Pate and members of the board asked Hill what he was talking about, but Hill never gave any specific examples.

Building permit fees were discussed. Aldermen agreed that Ordinance 143 should be amended to charge $10 for a permit for construction valued at $250 to $1,000 and to charge an additional $1 for every additional $1,000 or fraction thereof. A public hearing on this will be held October 12.

In his administrator’s report, Pate said the city was making progress in tearing down dilapidated houses, and he reported that the old North Ward School building is scheduled for demolition.